AWAB Non-Perforated vs. Perforated Clamp

My clamps of choice these days are made by AWAB. The quality is excellent, I have never once been able to "strip" one and they are more robust than any of the perforated clamps I've worked with. For hoses 1/2" and larger they are an excellent choice.

There are also plenty of knock offs to the AWAB clamps but they are not all created the same. The AWAB quality is consistent and has proven to me, time and again, the value in them. The entire clamp is 316SS with no spot welds to fail like with a T-Clamp.

"But RC what about T-Band style clamps, I thought they were the best?"

T-Band style clamps are good clamps but have a couple of shortcomings. The main issue, for below waterline applications, is the spot welds. I have seen far too many of this style clamp corrode at the spot welds and let go. For above water non-bilge areas they are okay but not for bilge applications.

The other issue is called thread galling. On multiple occasions I have seen T-Band clamps with broken draw bolts. In every instance, when I took the clamp back to my shop, I found the bolt and nut had galled together. Due to the thread galling the installer over-tightened the clamp bolt, likely physically twisting it some, and over time it failed.

On one delivery trip a broken T-Band clamp cost the owner of an 90' motor yacht close to $8000.00 in unexpected transient dock-age and repairs. A T-Band clamp on a turbo let go, due to over torquing, which was the result of thread galling. If you use T-Band clamps ALWAYS pre-lube the threads with a product such as Tef-Gel.